Government has successfully evacuated citizens from conflict zones across two continents
Also, we are facilitating the return of thousands displaced by border clashes,
The Minister for Foreign Affairs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced this when he took his turn at the Government Accountability Series at the Presidency on Monday.
He stated that government evacuated 17 Ghanaians during the recent escalation of hostilities between Iran and Israel, while 8,000 Ghanaians have returned home following violent clashes in the Binyarit area near Ghana’s borders with Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso.
He detailed his three-day working visit to Côte d’Ivoire from September 12-15, where he met with Ivorian Foreign Minister Kacou Houadja Léon Adom about displaced Ghanaians.
The Binyarit clashes initially displaced 13,200 Ghanaians to neighboring countries.
The Minister said he led a team to the Bukhani region in Côte d’Ivoire, where a recent census revealed 5,309 Ghanaians remain, down from the initial displacement figures.
“We got a message of peace and forgiveness, and a message appealing to all our compatriots to return home since government has built up security and ensured that normalcy is restored,” Mr Ablakwa said.
On behalf of President John Dramani Mahama, the minister donated 6 million CFA francs to cover urgent humanitarian needs and facilitate the safe return of displaced Ghanaians.
This donation was separate from relief items including food, water, blankets, and medicines already provided through the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO).
In Burkina Faso’s southwestern Punara region, approximately 1,455 Ghanaians remain displaced, reduced from 2,500 at the peak of the conflict.
He said Burkina Faso’s foreign minister expressed satisfaction with the trend of Ghanaian refugees returning home.
Following the Iran-Israel conflict evacuation, Ghana will reopen its embassy in Tehran on September 16, 2025, after three months of closure.
“Measures have been put in place to guarantee the safety of our diplomatic staff,” he said, adding that the ministry remains vigilant in monitoring international developments.
The successful evacuations demonstrate Ghana’s capacity for rapid response during global crises, according to the minister.
The Minister thanked the governments of Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso for their assistance, noting their reminder of Ghana’s historical role in providing safe haven to refugees from both countries, as well as Liberia, Niger, and other nations.
“As they indicated, they are more than happy to return the favour, even if on a much smaller scale, long-lived African solidarity,” he said.
The minister assured that no Ghanaian in distress anywhere in the world would be ignored by the Mahama administration.
The operations reinforce the importance of maintaining strong diplomatic networks and proactive contingency planning through Ghana’s missions abroad, Mr Ablakwa noted.
The ministry continues working with appropriate Ghanaian authorities and regional partners to provide necessary assistance to displaced compatriots, with ongoing monitoring of international developments that could affect Ghanaian citizens and Foreign Service officials.
Richard Aniagyei, ISD
